


You Only Had But To Ask

by WavesBlade



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angeal Doesn't Know he Needs a Hug, Brotherhood, Gen, Genesis Needs a Hug, Human Disaster Genesis Rhapsodos, No Slash, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sane Sephiroth, Sephiroth Needs a Hug, Sephiroth is Sick of Shinra's Shit, Why Did He Think Turning People Into Copies Was Okay?, Zack Hugs Him Anyway
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-05-07 14:14:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14672802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WavesBlade/pseuds/WavesBlade
Summary: Genesis went to Wutai looking for Angeal, to convince him to abandon Shinra and join him. He wasn't expecting to bump into Sephiroth instead. He wasn't expecting the talk that happened nor seeing the silver haired man in a new light. And especially not for Sephiroth to join him when told the truth. Perhaps the Silver General wasn't Shinda's lapdog after all...





	1. Not quite who he was looking for

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes timing makes all the difference. The truth spoken at one time, before loss and betrayal and suffering, can be managed more easily. And an offer that would have been rejected, finds acceptance.

Genesis tapped his fingers impatiently on bark, watching hiding behind a tree for Angeal to let go of his puppy's leash and set the beast on the Wutai fort. He didn't particularly care if Wutai fell or not, since **_he_ ** wasn't the one claiming the glory. If there truly was glory to be had in a pointless war, a war he had wanted so badly to transform him into a hero. But no, _Sephiroth_ of course got that title, monster that he was. There was nothing heroic hiding behind that apathetic facade, just a willingness to kill and toss aside anything and everyone.

Out of the three of them, only Genesis and Angeal felt the threads of brotherhood.

The only reason the Demon of Wutai was there was because of Angeal's pity. Sephiroth didn't care about any of them! Had never shown much of anything aside from his haughty superiority. Insufferable bastard. Couldn't crack a joke to save his life, couldn't understand them either. No matter how many times Genesis reached out, in his own _unique_ manner, to try to garner a reaction from the man, he drew nothing but basic comradery or minor competitiveness, nothing to show any true hints of brotherhood. Angeal he could count on turning from Shinra and joining him. Sephiroth? Their little toy general? Hardly, he'd turn his back on Genesis if he deigned to ask. And he called them friends?! Hardly...

Pah, what was he doing? Brooding over that silver haired demon again. He had more important things to be doing, like seeking out Angeal now that he had separated from his pup. Genesis cursed to himself, when had Angeal left? How could he be so foolish as to take his eyes off him? Damn, he was better than this.

He took off through the forest along the outskirts of the fort. He could easily guess what Angeal would be setting out to do. It shouldn't be to hard to track him down...

...except for unexpected, and unwanted occurrence of passing into a clearing with Sephiroth in it, the man staring at his phone with barely held tension for some signal he was waiting for. Then the man looked up, and their eyes connected.

Goddess damn it. What was **_HE_ ** doing here? Backup? To steal the glory from Angeal and his pup?

Sephiroth took in his appearance in a single glance. "Genesis."

"Sephiroth," spat out Genesis.

Sephiroth reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Pleasant as always. I see your _unsanctioned_ leave hasn't changed your disposition."

Genesis's lips curled into an amused smirk. "Come now Sephiroth, that wasn't even close to subtle."

"I wasn't trying to be," said Sephiroth, closing and pocketing his phone, "Genesis, where have you been? Angeal and I have been worried."

"Right, you've been worried," drawled Genesis, "Missing the whetstone to grind your sword against and toss aside otherwise?"

Sephiroth had the audacity to look hurt. "You are my friend Genesis, you suddenly going missing was of concern. Especially hearing what little reports have come in of your whereabouts and activities. What is this about _copies_?"

Genesis grew amused. "Tsk. I hadn't made much of a move yet, I'm surprised Shinra knows. Must be the Turks, annoying bastards."

He frowned a moment, at the mere prospect of Sephiroth actually caring, before dismissing it. "And please, don't pretend to give a damn about those _beneath_ you."

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Perhaps I am mistaken, but we are both not 1st Class soldiers? The same rank, equals?"

"Bullshit," snarled Genesis, "You, the high and mighty Sephiroth, the undefeatable, not even Angeal and I together can take you. You have all the glory, the title of the hero, while I am the one forgotten, not even in the damn papers as Shinra flaunts you as its prized toy soldier."

Sephiroth scoffed. "You know I don't care about such things, I've told you that."

"All the worse for it!" roared Genesis, "You have it all, and you don't give a damn! You don't care about anything or anyone but where you can swing your sword next!"

Sephiroth stared at him, open bafflement and hurt across his face. "Genesis..."

Genesis blinked a few times, surprised he had actually struck a blow that got a real reaction from the man. "Well well well, did I strike you speechless with the truth?"

There was the crackling of leather as Sephiroth's hands curled into fists. "Would it be that I never had to draw my blade save for our spars and training, I would gladly have it that way. I may enjoy fighting, but war is pointless slaughter. I don't care for you implying that I am some sort of monster."

Oh, poor little Sephiroth, he had no clue, no clue at all.

"And for the record," continued Sephiroth, glaring at him, "You, matter to me. Angeal, matters to me. Even Zackery, hyperactive as he is, is endearing in his own way. Others that I don't appear to care for, did it once occur to you is because I don't know them? That they haven't made any effort to know me as anything aside from a tool to be used, or someone placed on a pedestal to admired or feared at a distance?"

Genesis was the one who went silent for a moment, his eyes searching Sephiroth's, hunting for lies and deception, but finding nothing. "If you cared, why didn't you come for me?"

"I didn't know where you were," said Sephiroth simply, "And searching randomly is a senseless thing that would leave me out of position to come find you if you were located and in need of help. We didn't know if you were lost, injured, or dead, or off on some personal crusade."

Genesis blinked a few times, his mind trying to process the thought that Sephiroth _did_ care, and said offhandedly, "The last one."

Sephiroth scoffed. "Evidently, seeing that you are alive and well."

Genesis scoffed right back. "Well being the questionable term, and alive? Who knows for how much longer."

Sephiroth stared at him in confusion. "What do you mean? You don't appear injured."

Genesis's temper flared, he tore off his jacket, and pulled down the clothing on his shoulder, tearing off the bandage binding the putrid, oozing wound underneath. "Then what the hell do you call this?!"

Sephiroth's eyes widened, his jaw half dropping, and for once, Genesis saw with no lack of shock of his own, fear on his face, for **_him_** , for Genesis himself, and it shook him. "Genesis... that was months ago! It still hasn't healed?"

Genesis reached down for his bandages, hiding the confusion and uncertainty on his face. "No, it hasn't."

Swift and heavy footfalls approached faster than Genesis could straighten himself, and Sephiroth was there, green glow around the bangle on his wrist, a Full Cure washing over Genesis's body, but barely touching the shoulder-wound. "It doesn't help, believe me, I've tried."

Sephiroth stared at the wounded shoulder, the offending object, with such intensity Genesis wondered if the man believed he could will it away. "That's not normal."

"Obviously," said Genesis as he began to re-wrap his wound.

"Why didn't you come back to Shinra?" asked Sephiroth with confusion, "Surely we could find out what is going on and how to help you there."

"Shinra? SHINRA?!" roared Genesis in Sephiroth's face, "Why I go back to those who caused this to begin with! Those that did this to me!"

Sephiroth stared at him, confused, and not at all caring about Genesis being up in his face. "How would Shinra have caused your wound not to heal?"

Genesis shook his head and turned away. "I don't even know why I bother. You're Shinra's little wind-up toy soldier."

A hand softly gripped his good shoulder. "Genesis, if Shinra has wronged you, then they are duty bound to fix their mistake and pay damages."

Genesis threw back his head and laughed. "Sephiroth, do you honestly hear the words coming out of your mouth? You _know_ Shinra, duty doesn't mean a thing to them. They, who don't let those who matter retire in any way aside from a pistol to the back of their skull. Whose answer to SOLDIERs who have mental breaks are to put them down like animals. They would kill me as soon as fix me, especially since I know the truth."

"What truth? Explain," asked Sephiroth in a tone that really wasn't a question.

Genesis turned his head, glancing half at Sephiroth, half into the clearing. "I was an experiment. Before I was even born. Project G, sub-project of the Jenova Project."

"My mother?" echoed Sephiroth with no lock of confusion.

Genesis snorted. "I don't know who told you that several thousand year old corpse Shinra dug out of the ice was your mother, it is anything but that."

Sephiroth frowned for a moment, before appearing to file whatever thought he had away for another time. "What experiments did they do? What did Shinra do to cause your wound not to heal?"

Genesis slowly shook his head. "It's so much more than just the wound Sephiroth. My body is slowly degrading, my cells are at war inside my body. It will kill me if a cure is not found. Not that humans would care if I died, such is the fate of a monster."

"Genesis, you are no more a monster than I am," said Sephiroth, "As much as most people annoy me, we are human."

Genesis chuckled. "Poor little Sephiroth, you truly have no clue."

He threw a hand out to the side, and his black wing burst out of his shoulder in a storm of feathers. "If I am human, then what is this?"

Sephiroth's eyes had gone so wide, like a startled cat, as his eyes traced the length of the appendix. "That... would be a wing."

Genesis snorted in amusement and curled the wing back, relaxing it behind his back. "Obviously."

He watched as Sephiroth reached out a hand and caught a black feather, studying it in his hand, before he looked up at Genesis. There was no condemnation or fear or disgust in his eyes. There was only righteous anger that, for the first time, gave Genesis a spark of hope that Sephiroth could be more than the toy general.

" _What_ did Shinra do to you?" demanded Sephiroth.

"The exact details I'm not sure of," said Genesis, "But they injected Jenova Cells into me, warped me before I drew my first breath."

Sephiroth's eyes furrowed. "And it's these... cells... that are causing the issue?"

"I believe so, Hollander hasn't exactly explain how degradation fully works to me aside from my cells are dying," said Genesis, "Perhaps if I squeezed the pig more, he might squeal."

"Hollander?" questioned Sephiroth.

"The one who screwed me up to begin with," snarled Genesis.

"And you turned to him to help you?" asked Sephiroth, incredulous.

"Well who else was I supposed to go to when I stopped healing?" countered Genesis, "Hojo? The one who calls me one of Hollander's failures? Don't make me laugh. He'd rather dissect me then help me."

Sephiroth crossed his arms, a troubled look crossing his face. "Even if I asked him?"

"You'd have asked him?" said Genesis in disbelief.

"For you, I would have sucked up my pride and dislike of the man," said Sephiroth softly.

Genesis said nothing at that for a moment, before shaking his head. "He still wouldn't have, because that could have run the risk of you discovering the truth about yourself."

Sephiroth went very still. "And what truth, is that?"

"That Project-G wasn't the only sub-project of the Jenova Project," said Genesis before hesitating, and grudgingly going for a softer voice, not to insult a man who was hearing him out, "I have even less details for the other one, but... I was born of Project-G, you were born of Project-S."

He wondered, if for once, Sephiroth would actually lose it. The man had shown more emotion in the last few _minutes_ that he had over the last few _years_. Perhaps the prospect of losing a... friend... gave the man a new perspective. Oddly thought, Genesis's words seemed to have the opposite effect, instead of outrage, Sephiroth merely sighed, resignation on his face.

"You are not surprised," stated Genesis.

Sephiroth slowly shook his head and dropped his hand off Genesis's shoulder, reaching up instead to grasp a bit of his own silvery hair to bring it out before his eyes. "No, not as much as I should be. I always knew mine was a special existence, but this... this is not what I meant. My power, my physical appearance, none of it is natural, not even in comparison to other SOLDIERs. Though I had hoped that I hadn't been grown out of some petri dish of the professors..."

Genesis snorted. "No, even monsters have mothers, unless you count a womb as a petri dish."

Sephiroth gave him a small amused smile. "For the Science Department, I doubt that's far off."

They shared a chuckle at that before growing silent. Genesis stared at Sephiroth, a hope born in his chest that was raising higher and higher. He had come for Angeal, but instead, he had found a comradery with his silver haired friend he couldn't have imagined, knowledge that the man wasn't as distant and heartless as he could appear to be. Or perhaps... perhaps jelousy had simply blinded Genesis to the truth that Angeal could probably see. The question still stood regardless...

Would Sephiroth... would he leave Shinra, for him? If he asked? He wanted to, but feared the rejection.

"Do you think this... degredation will effect me as well?" asked Sephiroth.

Genesis shrugged. "To be honest, I haven't a clue. I don't have the details, but Hollander implied that the processes used on us were different from one another.

Sephiroth nodded, and then sighed. "I suppose we will find out eventually, still, I wish you had come to me sooner."

"Not to offend," began Genesis, "But I didn't even know you were here."

"Then why... oh, Angeal, of course," said Sephiroth bemused, before his face froze, "He's like us, isn't he?"

Genesis nodded. "Project-G doesn't stand for Genesis, it stands for Gillian."

"His mother?!" hissed Sephiroth, betrayal tinting his voice, "A woman he has preached nothing but praise and love for? Has made me yearn for my own ever since he told me such stories?"

Genesis felt his own flare of betrayal at that, as much as he tried to bury the feeling; After all, Gillian had been one of the few at home he had liked. That had treated him with kindness and could withstand and look past his attitude. "Yes."

Sephiroth's jaw was tight. "Was she a willing participant?"

"I have no clue," said Genesis with a shrug, "Hollander implied so, but I don't particularly trust his words."

Sephiroth looked away. "As much as I wouldn't wish it on her, I hope she wasn't. That kind of betrayal, to her own offspring... is unforgivable. It also implies that if she was willing, whoever my mother is, was as well."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," said Genesis, eyes carefully tracing Sephiroth's face, watching the subtle hints of emotions the man was trying to control.

Sephiroth ran a hand through his hair, eyes furrowed in uneasy thought. "Should he be told?"

Genesis scowled. "You'd lie to Angeal? About this?"

Sephiroth slowly shook his head, "His temperament is different than ours. You use this... travesty... to fuel your fire and fury, your passion. I simply accept it as it is, it's not honestly that surprising to me. But him? A man of honor, of purity, the heart of SOLDIER, a man who loves his family, is content and happy with his life?"

"It would all come crashing down, it would destroy him," said Sephiroth softly.

Genesis's throat went dry. Goddess... he had simply wanted his friend to come with him, to be free of Shinra, to be told the truth, he hadn't even thought how Angeal would react, how it could change him. Angeal had near unconditional love for his mother, and loyalty to Shinra despite it's extreme faults. To be betrayed so deeply... was Sephiroth right? Would it crush his friends spirit? He wanted to tell him, but by the goddess he didn't want to destroy the man, one of the few he actually gave a damn about in this world.

"Perhaps you're right," admitted Genesis, "But still... Shinra has to pay for what it's done, even if that means leaving Angeal in the dark, and crossing blades with him in the battles to come. Though I will not bring undue harm to him nor his pup."

"Agreed," said Sephiroth sourly, "This... abominable practice of human experimentation has to stop. Betrayal without, betrayal within, nothing but rampant greed and corruption. We've turned a blind eye for to long, simply because it didn't appear to affect us. But no more."

Genesis's heart skipped a beat. "You'll leave Shinra? You'll come with me? You'll help me?"

Sephiroth looked him straight in the eye and answered, "You only had but to ask."

* * *


	2. Squeezing the Pig

Ah, home sweet home.

And by home, he meant some decrepit abandoned cave hideout in Wutai that Hollander had turned into a makeshift base and laboratory; a pig pen was more like it. Speaking of fat pink organisms, there was one screeching for his attention.

"So you brought him? Where is he?"

Genesis stared silently in contempt at Hollander for a moment. "No, I didn't bring Angeal, I didn't even meet him."

Hollander, the fat pompous swine, scowled. "That's what you went there for! I thought we were in agreement! Angeal needed to be told and brought into the fold, to know the truth and help to bring Shinra and Hojo down!"

"Interesting that you mention Hojo specifically Hollander," came Sephiroth's voice as he revealed himself.

Hollander's eyes went wide with shock, and no small amount of fright. "S-sephiroth?!"

He glanced at Genesis. "Why is _he_ here?"

"He left Shinra to help me when I told him the truth and asked," said Genesis, not quite sure how well he did to keep the wonder he still held at the act subdued.

Hollander glanced at Sephiroth suspiciously. "And what makes you think he's being truthful about his intentions? It could be a Shinra plot."

There was a flicker of doubt in Genesis's mind at that.

"No more than he can be sure of your own honesty," said Sephiroth flatly, "And besides, I am a warrior, I do not have the patience for such things."

Well wasn't that the truth? The Turk's games were beneath him, beneath both of them, all three of them, and none of them had a political bone in their body.

Hollander sputtered, "My own honesty? How dare you! I have been nothing but truthful with Genesis since we left!"

"Is that so?" questioned Sephiroth, slowly approaching to stand at Genesis's side, not in front, not behind, but neck and neck, "Then what exactly is this degradation that afflicts him so? All he could explain was the basics of it to me."

Hollander waved a dismissive hand. "It's a whole bunch mess of scientific terms and details he wouldn't understand."

Genesis felt an indignant flash rip through him. "I am not some uneducated philistine Hollander, you could explain it to me."

"I did! In terms you would understand," said Hollander simply.

Genesis narrowed his eyes slightly, he certainly didn't miss the way he had just been talked down to like he was a child.

But before he could speak, Sephiroth beat him to it. "Then perhaps you could explain it in detail to me? I have spent an unfortunate amount of time in Hojo's labs when I was younger, and still on occasion, I have picked up a large understanding that I would rather not have."

There is hesitation on Hollander's face, and Genesis has the sudden urge to squeeze the pig until he popped. Sephiroth must have felt something or noticed his rising anger, there was a brief brush, arm against arm, a comfort and a suggestion to calm. Genesis closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting his rage subside. He opened them and then proceeded to glare full force at Hollander, hoping and obviously scaring the man into complying.

"Alright, alright," said Hollander, holding up his hands in mock surrender, "Degradation is, scientifically put, the slow deterioration of the body as a result of an improper and incomplete merging of Jenova's cells and powers into the host's body. Having taken a variety of samples from Genesis, I believe the main problem is a 'leak' of genetic information not normally occurring within SOLDIER."

"Normally occurring?" questioned Sephiroth, "Explain exactly why it is important to highlight this."

"I was not made _privy_ ," spat Hollander, "To Hojo's methods, but as I understand it, the process he uses on normal SOLDIERs is a derivative of the method he used to create you. I'm not exactly sure how."

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed in a _dangerous_ manner, enough to make Genesis's skin prickle in warning. "I would _appreciate_ , Professor Hollander, your understanding in that I was born from a human woman, not grown in a petri dish."

Hollander appeared to recognize the danger an immediately cowed. "Right, my apologies, I'm used to speaking scientifically."

That... really wasn't an excuse. The pig had best be careful, if he spurned Sephiroth to much and incurred his wrath, Genesis didn't plan on stepping in on his behalf. Because the two former 1st Class SOLDIERs had _talked_ on the way in. Sephiroth was heavily under the impression that Hollander was withholding a great deal more than Genesis suspected, and was even taking advantage of Genesis's growing desperation for a cure to further his own goals. Genesis was reserving judgement (not really) until Sephiroth could wrangle a truth out of the man. It was the only reason Genesis hadn't gut the swine upon seeing him, though he was inclined to agree with Sephiroth.

Goddess, it had been a blessing of kinds to have someone with Sephiroth's cold hard logic to take a look at the situation, because all Genesis had prior was Hollander himself, whose opinion obviously couldn't be trusted at the moment.

"I see," said Sephiroth flatly, not caring whatsoever for the pathetic apology, "Explain exactly what you mean by a ' _leak_ ' of genetic information. How exactly does that occur?"

Hollander squirmed. "I... well, I believe it's based off Genesis's ability to produce copies."

Genesis gave a start, that was the _**FIRST** _ he had heard of _that_. "Excuse me? Perhaps I heard wrong, but did you just say my own power is the reason I'm decaying?"

"Yes and no," said Hollander hurriedly, "Its because you lack the ability that should be paired with it, that Angeal has, that we suspect Jenova originally had. The ability to take back in genetic information from those changed."

Sephiroth tilted his head thoughtfully. "Angeal can produce these... copies... as well?"

Hollander nodded. "There's no reason he shouldn't be able to."

Sephiroth tapped his chin. "Are there any copies here? I wish to see one for myself."

There was a spark of unease and fear in Hollander's eyes. "Y-yes, there is a few out back putting away supplies for me, I can go get them..."

"No need," said Genesis, stretching out his mind to encompass their own, "I can call them."

He wasn't giving Hollander so easy a way out of this room. He waited until a set of three walked in and stood waiting. Sephiroth's eyebrows furrowed, Genesis swore he could feel a sense of unease from the man. He approached and looked one over, eyeing a dogtag on one. He lifted it up and read the name silently. Suddenly, Genesis felt a spark of anger in the air.

"These copies are made from people, from our SOLDIERs?" asked Sephiroth slowly, _dangerously_.

"Y-yes, they are best suited for our task of toppling Shinra with their enhanced strength," explained Hollander.

Sephiroth had a dark look on his face for a moment before he turned to address a copy. "Tell me SOLDIER, did you willingly agree to this?"

Silence.

"SOLDIER?" asked Sephiroth, "I asked you a question."

"They're not capable of answering, they exist only to fight," said Hollander simply, "But to answer for them, yes, Genesis asked them before hand if they wished to become copies, to gain a small portion of his superior strength."

There was open shock on Sephiroth's face for a moment. "The process strips them of their minds? Their individuality? Their free will?"

All of the sudden, Genesis had a sinking feeling in his stomach, especially when Sephiroth turned to him, open betrayal on his face, "You would ask this of your SOLDIERs? Of your men? Of those who willingly followed you away from Shinra?"

Genesis found his words failing him for once, opening and closing his mouth a few times, until all he could do was look away from Sephiroth in shame. Goddess, what had he been _thinking_? When one stopped and looked past all the anger, the hurt, and betrayal, what the hell had he been doing? It was just as foul as what Shinra had been doing...

"He did what had to be done," defended Hollander, "There was no other way, we had to do this! They needed to be stronger than regular SOLDIERs!"

Sephiroth turned slowly towards Hollander, his voice hushed in a manner Genesis wasn't sure he had ever heard before from the man, but it screamed at Genesis that this was _**not** _ a safe place to be right now. "Stronger? You think this makes them stronger? They lose the ability to think on their feet, for themselves, for a small scrap of increased strength? Genesis is desperate, and while he will never admit it, afraid, that you would push him towards this..."

The silver SOLDIER clenched and unclenched his fists. "Let me summarize: Because Genesis can copy himself onto people, but cannot take something back to replace what he carried over to these... victims... he degrades?"

"That is the assumption," said Hollander quietly, "It's not the only reason, but it is a large one."

"Then why did you have him do this in the first place?" demanded Sephiroth, "Why keep doing it if it's killing him?"

Genesis's heart skipped a beat. "Come again?"

"Genesis, stop and think for a moment and actually listen to what I said," instructed Sephiroth, "If this incomplete ability is one of the reason's you degrade, would it not stand to reason that each time you create a copy, you will damage yourself and increase the rate of your degradation?"

Genesis stared at him, dumbfounded.

"I understand," said Sephiroth slowly, forcing himself calm, "That you burn with emotion, with _passion_ , borderline rashness with little patience, and I doubt this degradation has done anything but exacerbate those traits to a problematic level, but sometimes Genesis, forcing yourself to take a moment to step back, calm down, and think is far more important that you realize."

"N-now wait a minute! I never said that!" said Hollander, taking a step forward.

"Really? It sounded like you did," said Sephiroth coldly.

"His incomplete ability, his improper merging of the Jenova Cells, that's the problem!" said Hollander, "This problem started months before he created his first copy!"

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes. "Yes, it did, didn't it? But it's not a guaranteed reason to discredit the danger. Regardless you bring up an interesting point. Why then? Why on that injury? He's been hurt before, far worse than that."

"I suspect it's been afflicting him slowly ever since he joined SOLDIER," admitted Hollander, "Every injury compounded upon the last until his body couldn't take it anymore and it started to fail."

Genesis's shoulder's sagged a little and spoke bitterly, "Doomed from the start of my life..."

"No, that's not what he said," said Sephiroth, honing in, "He said from when you joined SOLDIER, why that distinction specifically Hollander? What did becoming SOLDIER have to do with this?"

Hollander froze up for a moment.

Genesis narrowed his eyes. Oh? Did the fat swine just slip up on something?

"Well Hollander?" demanded Sephiroth.

The Professor licked his lips. "I suspect it's because of the mako. It enhanced his body, but also his Jenova cells. Mako energizes Jenova cells in a way not common to normal people. Or have you not noticed if regular civilians get exposed, it causes extreme damage, madness, sometimes mutations, and is often fatal? The Jenova cells feed off Mako, and by doing so, would upset what little balance Genesis's system had."

"Wait, _**WAIT**_!" said Genesis, "Are you saying joining SOLDIER, something I was heavily encouraged to do by recruiters, by Shinra staff, and by _**YOU** _ when I first arrived at HQ, is what started this process?"

Hollander's face had paled. "W-well, it is likely you would have gone most of your life without experiencing these symptoms until you hit your later years when your body would naturally start to weaken with age. At that point, say in your sixties to seventies, your body would probably experience aging much worse than a normal person would."

Genesis stared at Hollander, numb. His whole desire for fame, to become a hero... by joining SOLDIER he had signed his own execution...

"And you knew this," said Sephiroth, fists twitching.

"I hadn't put many of my thoughts and suspicions into words or written theories at that point," dodged Hollander.

"But you at least suspected, and you didn't warn him outside of the normal warnings SOLDIERs get," said Sephiroth, just a tint of anger started to broke the control he had been struggling to maintain.

"It wouldn't have dissuaded him, and you know it!" said Hollander.

Sephiroth glared at him. "I'm not so sure, Genesis wasn't always as hot head as he was when he became 1st Class. We can never know now, can we?"

Hollander said nothing, starting to tremble a little.

"Now, let's get to a point I've been meaning to ask about since I first heard you mention _Hojo_ ," said Sephiroth, openly hostile, "Why turn on the company? Why not try to seek aid there, coordinate with Hojo to see if something could be figured out?"

"Oh please," said Hollander, struggling to contain his nervousness and fear, "Hojo hates Genesis and Angeal, he would never have agreed, and besides, Shinra is the one who did this to Genesis!"

"So you say, but to my knowledge, you never even tried," said Sephiroth, "So tell me Hollander, what really drove you? Because if you honestly cared, you wouldn't have experimented on an unborn child."

"I... I...," stammered Hollander, taking a few steps back.

"Tell me, was it... jealousy?" 'asked' Sephiroth, "Genesis said he was part of Project G, while I was Project S. Did you want to prove your project 'superior'? Did you want revenge on Shinra and Hojo for snubbing your 'project'?"

There was a brief flicker of anger in Hollander's eyes, the tightening of fists, the wrathful curl of his mouth, before his eyes flickered to Genesis and he said, "Of course not!"

"Liar," spat Genesis before roaring, "You damn liar!"

His hand was on his sword handle, and if not for Sephiroth motioning for him to stay his blade, he would have ran the bastard through.

"Tell us Hollander," said Sephiroth, "Do you even have any idea of what to do for Genesis? How to cure him? Or are you merely stringing him along for your own ends?"

"It's a process!" said Hollander, desperation coating his voice, sweat running down his forehead, "It takes time to figure these things out!"

"Look me in the eye and tell me you believe that you can save him," said Sephiroth.

"I... I admit I was running blind, b-but now that you're here there is a chance for solid progress!" exclaimed Hollander, "I can look at your cells, examine them and see if there is something I can learn to help! Perhaps if we transfuse some of your cells into him..."

"Still experimenting Hollander?" chided Sephiroth, "You have no clue if my cells can help him. For all we know, it could make his condition worse. Considering that I was experimented on differently than Genesis, are we even compatible? Do I even share the same powers as he does?"

Hollander licked his lips. "Hojo and I argued on what should be incorporated from Jenova. I wanted as close a match as possible. I don't have the specifics, but Hojo wanted only certain traits, he wanted you to be better than Jenova. He even introduced foreign traits from monsters to certain Jenova Cells, altering them, before combining them into the serum he injected Lucrecia with."

"Lucrecia?" asked Sephiroth.

"Your mother...?" answered Hollander uncertainly.

"I was told from a young age that my mother was Jenova," said Sephiroth, and at the look of open bafflement on Hollander's face, Sephiroth asked, "What exactly _**IS**_ Jenova? Genesis said she was a several thousand year old corpse."

"We believe Jenova to be an Ancient, a Cetra..." began Hollander.

Sephiroth scoffed, open derision on his face. "You cannot be serious. I have read about the Ancients. It is said they were a nomadic people that tended to the planet, healers and gardeners who cherished life. Being able to afflict themselves on people by turning them into copies, having superhuman strength, was _not_ something they were known for.

Hollander hesitated. "Well... there is no solid proof either way. Towards the end of his involvement in the project, Gast agreed with your statement."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes. "Professor Faremis was involved in the Jenova Project?"

"He was until he disappeared," said Hollander.

Sephiroth smiled grimly. "Perhaps he understood, to late, that what he was doing was wrong, and wanted no more part to play in this... madness."

"So in summary, you scientists had no idea what you were messing with, chose to inject unborn infants with these 'Jenova Cells', and hoped for the best?" said Sephiroth sourly, "Because that is what it sounds like. And it would seem as though your methods have only ' _degraded_ ' from then on."

"T-there is still hope! You don't know that your cells can't help him!" exclaimed Hollander.

"No, I don't, and that's why I'll leave your fate up to Genesis rather than killing you myself," snarled Sephiroth, glancing Genesis's way.

Genesis couldn't help but hesitated. He didn't want to die, especially not via his body literally falling apart, yet... he had allowed Hollander to mislead him so badly. On the other hand, his blood bubbled for revenge on Hollander, he wanted to kill him so badly, but would that doom Genesis instead? Could he trust himself to make the right decision? He closed his eyes, took a breath, and followed Sephiroth's earlier advice. He pushed his rage aside and thought it over.

He drew his sword and tapped it on his boot in warning. "I won't kill you, not yet. You will be placed under watch twenty-four seven, your progress will be checked constantly, and if you fail to produce results, your usefulness will draw to an end. The _only way_ you make it out of this alive, is if you can fix the mess you made. Am I clear Hollander?"

"P-perfectly," stammered the man in terror.

"Take what samples you need," said Sephiroth thinly, "Then get out of our sight."

Hollander quickly scrambled, grabbing materials to take a blood, skin, hair, and saliva sample, before fleeing the room, Genesis's clones following him under strict orders to not let him out of their sight. When he was gone, Genesis moved to sag against the wall.

"Say it," he said bitterly, "I'm an idiot, a fool, I doomed myself, and others."

Sephiroth turned to stare at him silently for a few minutes before slowly and carefully speaking, "I will not condone what you've done, especially in turning your men into copies..."

He paused briefly, whispering, "Did you turn them all?"

"No, not yet," admitted Genesis, "It takes a lot out of me to do so, we had only done a few thus far to test out their capabilities. We were planning to do so in bulk after Wutai was finished, since SOLDIER would be freed up to appose us."

"Then it's a good thing we met when we did," said Sephiroth grimly, "However, you owe the SOLDIERs that followed you an explanation, and an apology for what was done to the few who were converted, and for what you intended to do. They should be given a choice whether they want to stay with us, or leave unharmed."

" _Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul, pride is lost, wings stripped away, the end is nigh_ ," quoted Genesis bitterly, "I will do as you say, it is the least my men deserve. Freedom from the monster I am."

Sephiroth's mouth twitched. "I was wondering how long you would go without quoting Loveless, I think this is a new record."

Genesis scoffed. "Really Sephiroth? _That_ is your response?"

Sephiroth sighed. "Genesis... it doesn't excuse what you did or desired, but, you were desperate, afraid, and are degrading. A lot of what happened was, from what I can tell, Hollander's manipulations and betrayal of your trust. You aren't blameless, but it isn't entirely your fault. So long as you own up to it, and strive to improve, you have my forgiveness, and hopefully that of your men."

He walked over and put a hand on Genesis's shoulder. "You are not a monster, you are just afraid, and it takes strength to admit that. Now come, lets get this out of the way and speak to your men."

Genesis nodded sullenly, but cherished the open comfort Sephiroth had given, wishing he had known how to draw it out years ago, and turned away from the laboratory. He left, and started walking, Sephiroth at his heels, to meet his fate at the hands of his men...

**Author's Note:**

> I have too many stories and starts going on, but can't help but posting them and getting the concepts out there. I have like... another 5 in my head I want to put down to pen/paper (*cough* fanfiction sites /*cough*).


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